By Lily Farnham, Quill Writer
Marking the 75th anniversary of Formula One was a record-breaking season for the motorsport. With Lando Norris as the celebrated World Driver Champion, and his team of McLaren winning the Constructor’s Championship again, many found great successes this year. For others, the year was a more challenging adjustment to new teams and new seats. As a year of fierce competition and shocking grand prix results, 2025 is one to unpack.
The grid in 2025 saw a number of changes from the 2024 season. Referring to the main drivers per team, “the grid” is comparable to the starting lineup of any regular sports team. Many teams carry multiple reserve drivers (think of these like benched players), in case of emergencies or the absence of a main driver. Reserve drivers can also participate in testing, be transferred to new spots and work their way into permanent positions. However, permanent drivers can also be demoted to a reserve position, as will be looked at later in the season. In 2025, the grid hosted 10 teams and 20 drivers, two per team.
In total, this past year’s grid saw 10 starting seat changes, with six rookies joining the ranks. This surprising amount of newcomers follows up 2024’s complete lack thereof. These rookies include: Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson. Meanwhile, a few returning athletes were merely signing to new teams, as their former team contracts were not renewed.
When testing began in late February, fans eagerly took note of the many new debuts. New cars, new drivers and a fresh start for all involved. The excitement was building as round one of the season took place at the Australian Grand Prix. In the wet conditions of Melbourne, McLaren started off strong with Lando Norris securing P1 (first place). Teammate and home racer Oscar Piastri found P9 after a difficult recovery following a slide off the track. Yet, Piastri’s mishap wasn’t nearly the worst of it; five drivers earned a DNF (did not finish), three of them being rookies. For a fourth rookie, Isack Hadjar, his DNS (did not start) was a more disappointing result. Hadjar spun off the track in his opening customary lap of the circuit, intended to set the starting positions before the race began. Thankfully not all of the rookies had a rough run, as Kimi Antonelli impressively placed P4 just behind his P3 Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Round Two on the Shanghai circuit was also interesting, holding a one-two McLaren podium and a double Ferrari disqualification. What happened following the China Grand Prix was even more shocking. In a brutal demotion after just two races, Liam Lawson was dropped from Red Bull in favor of Visa Cash App Racing Bull (VCARB) driver Yuki Tsunoda. The two drivers swapped seats between the sister teams, an unfortunate blow to Lawson. The rookie continued with VCARB for the remainder of the season and is also set to drive with the team in 2026. Tsunoda, on the other hand, was not as lucky. He was able to finish 2025 driving with Red Bull, but has been demoted to a reserve seat for 2026.
The next few rounds flowed smoothly. It wasn’t a perfect season for everyone, but McLaren was riding high. Consistent podium wins from the McLaren ‘papaya’ team led the season, with scattered podium placings from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, however, the BWT Alpine F1 Team announced another demotion; this time, for Jack Doohan. One of the few drivers without a single point to his name leading into round seven, the 22-year old had a very unpromising start to the season. It was not surprising to many, therefore, when he was demoted to a reserve driver position for the team. To take over the spot was Franco Colapinto, up from reserve to drive main. Colapinto worked on a generally race-by-race basis, and was able to complete the season with Alpine. He will continue to compete for the team in 2026.
Continuing on, it was Oscar Piastri who was leading the championship amidst other noteworthy events. After his 239 races, Kick Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg earned his first podium as P3 at the Britain Grand Prix. While Ferrari suffered a double DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix, Hadjar earned a debut podium and Piastri extended his point advantage. Nevertheless, his McLaren teammate was quickly catching up in championship standings, and Piastri soon found himself short of Norris by just one point. The Brazil Grand Prix introduced a close third opponent, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fought from last in the starting positions to a P3 podium. The Las Vegas Grand Prix boosted Verstappen further, when both McLarens were disqualified for a violation on their cars. By the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi, the championship could go any of three ways: to Piastri, Norris or Verstappen.
It was “lights out” in Abu Dhabi as the drivers sped into their first lap. The point values were 408, 396 and 392 for Norris, Verstappen and Piastri respectively. Any podium placing for Norris would establish him as the 2025 champion, but the other two drivers were still in reach of the title. Fending off the rest of the grid as well, Norris would not earn his championship easily. Leclerc was applying great pressure on Norris, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was approaching, Piastri was making bold moves on turns. At one point, an investigation occurred following an incident between the championship-leading driver and Red Bull’s Tsunoda. Tsunoda was given a penalty, and Norris kept striving for a podium spot. After fighting 58 laps, the spots were secured. Verstappen P1, Piastri P2 and Norris landing his winning P3 position. By just two points, Lando Norris had earned the title of 2025 World Driver Champion for the first time in his Formula One career.
An incredible moment, full of deafening cheers, celebrations and tears from many—including Norris himself—the 2025 season came to a close. The final race had been full of adrenaline, and perfectly encapsulated the chaotically entertaining year. It was time for teams to begin looking ahead then, at all the changes coming in 2026. So what should fans look forward to?
Firstly, the grid has been updated. Isack Hadjar has earned a spot beside Max Verstappen on Red Bull, following the demotion of Yuki Tsunoda. In Hadjar’s vacancy, rookie Arvid Lindblad will race for VCARB. Lindblad is the only anticipated rookie for the upcoming season. A new team has also been added, much to the excitement of fans. Cadillac will return to the track Sergio “Checo” Perez and Valtteri Bottas, two well-known drivers from past seasons. On the topic of teams, Sauber and its drivers will be under Audi this year. Many teams are taking on new sponsorships for the upcoming season, which will result in slight name changes.
The main changes are for the cars and regulations. Regulations have been altered to allow for slimmer, more agile cars than previous seasons. The Drag Reduction System (DRS) has been changed as well, with moveable front and rear wings in cars for increased aerodynamic ability and a change in the overtaking system. While sustainable fueling will be used for engines, the overall capacity limit has been reduced; increased electrical and battery power will be vital to the new cars. Cars are expected to race at higher speeds this year, and the cost cap for team design and construction resources has also been boosted. Among final news, changes to the location and times of races can be seen on schedule.
Arguably the most anticipated aspect of 2026, to no surprise, is how drivers will perform. It will be interesting to see how drivers adapt to the new cars and regulations of the season. All eyes will be on pre-season testing and the opening races of the season, to determine who has been able to adjust and thrive, and who struggles. As the sole rookie for 2026, Lindblad is definitely one to keep up with. He has shown to be an ace in the lower ranks of the Formula series, with a speedy work ethic that has supported his success. Being the only 2025 rookie in the overall top 10 of standings the past season, it is no doubt Kimi Antonelli will also bring a fierce spirit. Fans may look towards returning drivers who performed questionably this past season, in hopes of seeing a stronger turnout this year. Lewis Hamilton, seven-time champion and new Ferrari driver, had been scoring consistent 200s until this past year. It was clear he had a difficult run with Ferrari this year, but many hope his 2026 race in red shows a better outcome. For Max Verstappen, 2025’s overall second place broke his 4-year championship streak. This year may just be the year he makes his comeback to secure his title a fifth time. Racing alongside Verstappen will be former rookie Isack Hadjar, but will he be able to handle the pressure in this new seat? His work and recoveries have been promising in the past. In terms of the new teams, Cadillac could bring home an opening season to remember. Both Perez and Bottas are strong and experienced veteran drivers, but the question still remains of whether or not the debuting F1 team will meet the public’s expectations.
Perhaps the new cars will show shocking results, perhaps the 2025 rookies will return to this year with newfound resilience. No matter the result, the year ahead will be one for the books.